The Bookish Life of Nina Hill

Nina’s planner represents her compulsion to structure her life and avoid unpredictability. Planning her activities, meals, and to-do list provides her with a way to manage her time and exert some measure of control over the events in her life. Because the planner contains her goals and aspirations, it also represents her hopes and wishes for the future, and even the smallest details can be interpreted as effects of her deeper concerns and experiences. Frequently, the entries contain resolutions to exercise more or drink more water, but when she becomes interested in Tom, several notes reference the need to improve her housekeeping and personal hygiene, indicating her desire for physical intimacy. The graphics add a whimsical note that complements the narratives humorous tone. For example, the continuing notes to buy cat food become increasingly pointed, which suggests that Nina has been distracted from small, daily tasks by the larger events in her life.

Nina’s tidy and very full bookshelves represent her love of books and illustrate her tendency to insulate herself from outside stressors. In fact, they form a literal wall between her and the outside world in addition to offering an emotional and psychological escape from reality.